May 2016
HOI Group Cosponsors “Pollinator Day” at the Peoria Riverfront Museum
The Peoria Riverfront Museum and the Heart of Illinois Sierra Club cosponsored “Pollinators Day” April 2nd at the Riverfront Museum, from 12 to 4 p.m. Attendance was large and included many families with young children. The event was held in conjunction with the movie "Flight of the Butterflies 3D" showing in the museum's giant screen theater. Displays by participating organizations covered ways to make your yard pollinator friendly, which included planting native plants and building bee nesting blocks. Vendors offered a variety of native plants for sale.
The HOI Group display focused on reasons for the decline in pollinator populations, including:
- Increased use of glyphosate herbicide on GMO “Roundup-ready” crops
- Skyrocketing use of new neonicotinoid pesticides
- More acreage planted in corn and soybeans
- Rapid transfer of parasites and diseases of pollinator species around the world
- Loss of habitat and changes in seasonal behavior due to global warming
City of Peoria Approves Beekeeping Ordinance
The City of Peoria recently approved a new ordinance allowing bee keeping in town. Part of the reasoning for this new initiative is to help the dire plight of bees facing drastic die-off from Colony Collapse Disorder and other problems. The City is also considering an urban farming provision. All these efforts are very important for the health of our environment. Please call your Peoria City Council representative and thank them for approving the new bee ordinance and urge them to approve urban farming provisions. Check the Peoria City website for city council member contact information.
State Legislation to Help Pollinators Needs Your Support
Peoria Illinois House Bill 5900 and Senate Bill 2965 will stop use of neonicotinoid insecticides on any public lands owned or maintained by the state and also end use on residential and private landscapes, although agricultural applications will not be affected. House Bill House 5804 will require that plants treated with neonicotinoid insecticides or systemic insecticides not be labelled as “bee friendly.” Such plants have the insecticide in the plant itself and bees and other pollinators can be affected by the toxins from pollen or other parts of the plant. Such plants often include flowering perennials and other garden flowers that home-owners use to attract bees and butterflies. Be sure you verify flowering plants that you purchase for your flower garden have not been treated with systemic insecticides.
Call your local Representative and Senator to urge they support these bills. A short listing of Peoria Metro Area legislator phone numbers includes:
State Representatives:
Mike Unes, Pekin office 309-620-8631
Jehan Gordon-Booth, Peoria 309-681-1992
David Leitch, Peoria 309-660-7373
Don Moffitt, Galesburg 309-643-8000
State Senators:
Chuck Weaver, Peoria Office 309-693-4921
Dave Koehler, Peoria Office 309-677-0120